Aaron Donald has been away from the NFL for the past two seasons. Yet, even though Philip Rivers had been retired for three years, it didn’t stop the Indianapolis Colts from dragging the quarterback off the couch when they needed an injury replacement.
Except this time, Donald isn’t being called upon as an injury replacement. He’s been summoned because the Los Angeles Rams have built the most likely Super Bowl contender in the NFL, and the 35-year-old may want another bite at the apple. Especially if it means getting to play alongside another fellow future Hall of Fame defensive lineman like Myles Garrett.
Garrett Posts Donald’s Old Rams Jersey Online

While there’s been a lot of smoke hinting at Donald coming out of retirement to play another season with the Rams in 2026, he did recently go through a workout at the team’s facility. With more public stunts like that, rumors of Donald’s comeback won’t go away any time soon.
It also didn’t help that Garrett recently shared a picture of Donald’s old Rams No. 99 jersey with a caption that read, “Unpacking.”
Myles Garrett on his IG story 👀 pic.twitter.com/i59RpJMNue
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) July 12, 2026
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Donald has held onto his access to the Rams’ facility, where he can frequently be seen working out. In other words, his recent showing doesn’t necessarily mean he’s planning a comeback.
Yet, it very well could have acted as a sort of test to see what he’s still capable of, and if a few Rams staffers witnessed it along the way, then so be it. It also stirred up more intrigue, like is Donald really contemplating a comeback for one final Super Bowl run in LA?
Fowler adds that the Rams have not extended a contract offer to Donald, but reaching an agreement likely wouldn’t be a big hurdle to overcome, considering his strong relationship with the team’s front office. As a result, if Donald wants to come back, the opportunity seems to be there for the taking.